BOSTON, MA - The Bruins' keys for Thursday night against the Capitals at TD Garden were simple.

Stay disciplined. Be responsible without the puck. Attack their net.

For the first time since February 24, 2012, the Bruins didn't have a penalty called against them. As a result, they dominantly carried five-on-five play for 60 minutes, until the final buzzer sounded on a 3-0 shutout of the Caps.

They only allowed 16 shots on goal, and just four in each in the first and second periods, producing one of their best defensive efforts in a while and giving Tuukka Rask his league-leading sixth shutout this season.

"It was the best [defensive effort] in a long time," Rask said postgame. "Not too many scoring chances, so we had layers all over the ice, and defended the middle really good, and backchecked hard, and had all the elements we want. So it was great to see that."

It's no secret whatsoever that the Black & Gold are a defense first team, and that their system is entirely trust-based, with support in all three zones.

"Especially today, I thought we were handling the puck really well. We dumped the puck in good in the corners and we got it back, we got everyone involved and we just have to keep doing that," said Eriksson, who scored his first goal since coming back from the Olympics. "And if we’re going to play like that, we’ll win more games. So we just have to keep doing it."

BOSTON, MA - As the Bruins begin their final regular season push before the playoffs, they will not have defenseman Adam McQuaid in the lineup.

On Wednesday, during the Bruins' post trade deadline press conference, General Manager Peter Chiarelli said that McQuaid was going to be "shut down" for two to three weeks.

The blueliner has been faced with a frustrating season, missing a combined 30 games to injury heading into the Bruins' game against the Washington Capitals on March 6.

His latest injury, a quad strain, has kept him out of the lineup since January 19. He was back skating and very close to a return after the Olympic Break before re-aggravating it.

"We had something similar with Jared Knight (hamstring) last year and you just have to basically shut that player down for a couple weeks and rest, and he came around," said Chiarelli. "But I don’t know. That’s what I expect would happen."

"[Adam's] injury, while it keeps healing, he has setbacks, so we’re just going to give him rest, two to three weeks, and see where he is after that."

BOSTON, MA - Leading up to the NHL's Trade Deadline, Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli and his staff had targeted adding defensive depth to their roster.

"It's about being on top of the market, being in touch with the other GMs, and finding where all of the players slot in and finding some players for the Bruins," Chiarelli told BostonBruins.com on Wednesday morning.

"We're looking for one, maybe two depth defensemen. When I mean depth, it doesn't mean they can't play up the lineup, it just bolsters our depth and they're serviceable guys, so it's a good day, it's an exciting day, it's a culmination of a lot of days."

That culmination led to just what Chiarelli had anticipated - two pick-ups for the Bruins to join a defense corps that has grown in the months since Dennis Seidenberg's ACL/MCL season-ending injury and the re-aggravation of Adam McQuaid's injury.

By the time the trade deadline passed on Wednesday, the Bruins had acquired Andrej Meszaros from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a conditional 2014 third round draft pick, and claimed defenseman Corey Potter off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.

BostonBruins.com - With less than an hour left until the NHL's 3:00 p.m. trade deadline, the Bruins announced via an official team press release that they have claimed defenseman Corey Potter off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers.

Potter has skated in 16 games with the Oilers this season, recording five assists with 21 penalty minutes. The blueliner is in his eighth season pro, having suited up in 120 NHL games among the New York Rangers (eight games, 2008-10), Pittsburgh Penguins (one game, 2010-11) and Edmonton Oilers (111 games, 2011-14), along with 327 AHL games.

The 30-year-old, Lansing, MI native was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2003 (fourth round, 122nd overall), and played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan State (2002-06) before beginning his professional career (he and Spartan Torey Krug were four years apart).

"When I mean depth, it doesn't mean they can't play up the lineup, it just bolsters our depth and they're serviceable guys, so it's a good day, it's an exciting day, it's a culmination of a lot of days."

Assistant General Manager Jim Benning knows Potter well, and said the Bruins' staff have been following the 6-foot-3, 206-pound defenseman since his Hartford Wolf Pack days in the AHL.

BostonBruins.com - All had been quiet on the trade front Wednesday morning, until a pair of Eastern Conference teams made a deal involving captains Marty St. Louis and Ryan Callahan.

The trade sent the Lightning captain to the Rangers, with Tampa Bay acquiring Callahan, a 2015 first round pick and a conditional second round pick in 2014.

Just after noon, Bruins President Cam Neely took a few minutes in his office to share his reaction on the trade, where the Bruins sit and where he sees the market heading with less than three hours until the deadline at 3:00 p.m. ET.

"Yeah, there were some rumblings about having a difficulty signing Callahan in New York and heard some chatter that St. Louis wasn't happy in Tampa, so they got something done," said Neely.

"You know, we're still trying to get something done ourselves here. We knew going in what was available and what the options were. We also like our team and we feel like adding some depth would be nice, and making sure that we do it in the right way."

BostonBruins.com - We're less than five hours away from the NHL's Trade Deadline at 3:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 5. Throughout the day, I'll be bringing you updates via the Bruins Blog and on Twitter @NHLBruins ^CS.

As General Manager Peter Chiarelli settled into the Bruins' offices at TD Garden, he took a few minutes to lay out what this day looks like for him and the B's brass.

It can often be a roller coaster of a day, but the Bruins' GM wasn't anticipating emotions to come into play.

"You try not to be emotional about it. You know, we're trying to add, so the emotions get involved when you're trading away players, so I don't really want to trade away players, I don't think we will today," he said from his office. "It's just about being on top of the market, being in touch with the other GMs, and finding where all of the players slot in and finding some players for the Bruins."

"We're looking for one, maybe two depth defensemen. When I mean depth, it doesn't mean they can't play up the lineup, it just bolsters our depth and they're serviceable guys, so it's a good day, it's an exciting day, it's a culmination of a lot of days."

The ice crew skated out to gather the caps, which their Black & Gold owners up in the stands at TD Garden sacrificed to honor the special occasion. Reilly Smith grabbed a white one nearby and placed it over the centerman's helmet on the bench.

There were only 14 seconds left on the clock, when Krejci sealed Boston's 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night with an empty-netter.

It was Krejci's third NHL regular season hat trick of his career, with his last coming just over two years ago on March 1, 2012. He owns the Bruins' two most recent three-goal games.

The emphasis on such a "milestone" has to come from the outside, though, because for Krejci - in his mind - all he did was help the team earn its second straight win.

And, as usual, the Bruins' alternate captain was more concerned postgame on what he and his teammates could improve for the next time out.

BostonBruins.com - Prior to Tuesday night's game against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden, the Bruins will honor New England Olympians who medaled at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

The Black & Gold, of course, saw five Olympians of their own head overseas to represent their respective countries, while these Olympic medalists with ties to New England represented the red, white and blue of Team USA.

"He's starting to showcase the type of player that we knew we were getting - he’s making smart plays," said Julien. "You just have to look at that shorthanded goal of Soupy’s [Gregory Campbell]. You know, he’s patient enough, he made a great pass."